I recently watched a documentary by errol morris called the unknown known its about donald rumsfeld, and it was an engrossing and entertaining movie about a. Donald rumsfeld, and the infamous known knowns, known. Many people associate the phrases the known known, the known unknown and the unknown unknown with rumsfeld, but few people are aware of how he first presented these ideas to the public. Adorning the dust jacket of known and unknown is a.
Rumsfeld s statement brought much fame and public attention to the concepts of known knowns, known unknowns, and unknown unknowns, but national security and intelligence professionals have long used an analysis technique referred to as the johari window. On february 12 2002, us secretary of defence donald rumsfeld made a now famous remark that has since went on to be commented on widely by critics and thinkers. But as to the known unknowns, and the unknown unknowns, it hasnt been. In his memoir, known and unknown 2011, rumsfeld defended his handling of the wars in afghanistan and iraq. This paper develops and suggests a model to characterize risks, especially unidentified ones. Rumsfeld named his autobiography known and unknown. After all, it was set to verse in the poem the unknown, part of columnist hart seelys collection, pieces of intelligence. The big short 6 jared vennetts pitch to front point partners jenga blocks scene duration. Secretary rumsfelds use of unknown unknowns in february 2002 dod secretary donald rumsfeld stated. The concept of known knowns and unknown was made famous by donald rumsfeld in 2002, but it has been used in academic and philosophical circles for a much longer time. And if one looks throughout the history of our country and other free countries, it is the latter category that tend to be the difficult ones. Known knowns, known unknowns, unknown unknowns and the. There are known knowns is a phrase from a response united states secretary of defense donald rumsfeld. The certainty of donald rumsfeld part 3 the new york times.
The existential poetry of donald rumsfeld, and later set to music by. To many, this seemed silly at the time it was first recited by the author. How will posterity remember the secretary of defenses most famous soundbite. Secretary of defense and congressman donald rumsfeld, directed by academy award winning documentarian and. This cnn video shows donald rumsfeld using the terms known unknown, unknown unknown, etc. It includes state department cables, correspondence.
The life and times of donald rumsfeld is a 20 american documentary film about the political career of former u. President bush before the war in iraq listing risks that included both. At the beginning of the documentary, rumsfeld argues that a major purpose of the department of defense is to evaluate unknown knowns, or. Donald rumsfeld defense secretary reports that say that something hasnt happened are always interesting to me, because as we know. The title of the movie, the unknown known, comes from rumsfelds most famous statement while serving as george w. In the unknown known, errol morriss recent documentary about rumsfeld, there is. On first reading i understood him precisely, and on subsequent readings i can find no errors in the grammar or construction of his quote. After i finished my masters degree, for instance, i. Rumsfeld memoir known and unknown reveals doubts but remains selfrighteous. Discover known and unknown deluxe offering an unprecedented reading experience for a memoir by a major public figure. A summary of rumsfeld s remarks against knights depiction of risk and uncertainty can be found in the table below. Unknown unknowns are risks that come from situations that are so unexpected that they would not be considered.
It is a pleasure to be back in brussels and at nato. The life and times of donald rumsfeld is a american documentary film about the life of former u. Organizations need a risk management system that can help them tackle the many different types of risks a business faces. Rumsfeld was warned of the risks of criminal investigation before he signed off, and still. The life and times of donald rumsfeld nyt critics pick directed by errol morris documentary, biography, history, war pg 1h 43m. Donald rumsfeld selling maryland home known as mount.
Donald henry rumsfeld is a united states businessman, retired navy fighter pilot, diplomat, and politician who served as the th secretary of defense under president. Unidentified risks, also known as unknown unknowns, have traditionally been outside the scope of project risk management. Secretary of defense donald henry rumsfeld mentioned. Philippe sands is far from swayed by donald rumsfelds apologia. The far less dramatic truth is that we were wrong, rumsfeld writes in his 2011memoir, known and unknown. Nasa has actually been using it in planning space missions and preparing to. The eastern shore residence, which rumsfeld, 87, picked up in. The certainty of donald rumsfeld part 1 the new york times. Risk management operates largely within quadrants 3 and 4 of the matrix. Rumsfelds new memoir, known and unknown, comes from a remark he made about whether iraq. The rumsfeld foundation encourages leadership, public service and free political and economic systems at home and abroad.
Broadly there are three classifications of the different types of risk. Unknowns, systemic risks and risk prioritization in. Theoretical overview of known, unknown and unknowable risks for property decision makings. Press conference by us secretary of defence, donald rumsfeld rumsfeld. I think it is fair to say that the reception by the press was mixed. Unknown unknowns, the ones we dont know we dont know.
His weird foray into the previously known unknown of metaphysical epistemology, much mocked by. In february 2002, donald rumsfeld, the then us secretary of state for defence, stated at a defence department briefing. Unfortunately, we disagree about a statement you made this month regarding donald rumsfeld and his explanation of the three types of knowledge. Former secretary of defense donald rumsfeld is letting go of his vacation home in st. But of late it seems to be more and more prescient and prophetic with every passing day. The title of the movie, the unknown known, comes from rumsfelds. On the 12th of february 2002, donald rumsfeld, back then secretary. Even, today an unmeasurable risk is termed knightian uncertainty. In a presentation from 2003, we can see how they used the framework to evaluate the risks in the. To describe the world in which decisions are made, he colloquially distinguished between known knowns, known unknowns, and unknown unknowns.
The film is a summary of 33 hours of interviews that morris conducted with rumsfeld over. Former united states secretary of defense, donald rumsfeld, discusses his career in washington d. Rumsfelds defense of known decisions the new york times. The idea of unknown unknowns was created in 1955 by two american psychologists, joseph luft 19162014 and harrington ingham 1916. It would become so famous that it would become the title of his autobiography known and unknown. On the 12th of february 2002, donald rumsfeld, back then secretary of state of the us, used an until then little known framework to help him in making the case for the invasion of iraq. Lessons in the dynamics of risk and uncertainty five. Rumsfeld is too cagey for this interview to be a repeat of frostnixon. Known knowns, known unknowns, unknown unknowns, and. Say what you will about rumsfeld or the iraq war, but this is actually a great and extensible quote. Rumsfelds memoir plays a fast and loose game of dodge ball with what are now known knowns and known unknowns about the. The right man at the right time ed bradley the washington times. But there are also unknown unknowns the ones we dont know we dont know.
Most unknown unknowns are believed to be impossible to find or imagine in advance. In 1921, the economist frank knight, in his book risk, uncertainty and profit, distinguished uncertainty, an unmeasurable risk as he termed it, or an unknown unknown in rumsfeldspeak, from one that is measurable a known unknown. But there are also unknown unknownsthe ones we dont know we. Among other things i thanked our allies for their broad and prompt and effective support in the global war on terrorism. It includes state department cables, correspondence, and memoranda on. Reports that say that something hasnt happened are always interesting to me, because as we know. These are risks that have been correctly identified and properly measured. Reports that say that something hasnt happened are always interesting to me, because as we know, there are known knowns. Donald rumsfelds known and unknown financial times. In my interviews for my film the unknown known, i asked rumsfeld about wohlstetters book, but particularly about schellings foreword why it was important to him and why he described pearl harbor as a failure of imagination. The known and the unknown have to be treated in very different.
Known and unknown, a nod to his bestknown quotation. However, this study reveals that many of them were not truly unidentifiable. Leadership lessons in business, politics, war, and life 20 comprised guidelines he had written out on note cards during his. For webconnected readers, it features more than 500 links to neverbeforeavailable original documents from donald rumsfelds extensive personal archive. The knowns and unknowns framework for design thinking. The known knowns, known unknowns, and the unknown unknowns. I think donald rumsfeld was the worst defense secretary ever, and that ive written a whole book about the american military fiasco in iraq 200306 in which he played a. Instead, the unknown known is a confession without the confession.
He was a known known in a world of unknown unknowns. Going forward, the rumsfeld matrix can be used by enterprise risk committees to better confront their evaluative processes. Secretary of defense and congressman donald rumsfeld, directed by academy award winning documentarian and filmmaker errol morris. Unidentified risks, also known as unknown unknowns, have traditionally been. F ormer us secretary defense donald rumsfeld made semantic history on 12 february 2002 when he gave the profoundly perplexing explanation about known knowns, known unknowns and unknown unknowns in iraq. Known and unknown is a remarkable and compelling book that reveals how much we dont know about donald rumsfeld whom we may know only know through the often critical media coverage his years as seceretary of defense has received. The knowns and unknowns is a famous adage from former u. A general classification has then been created for the risks that are being measured in the risk management process. Discover the enhanced ebook edition of known and unknown offering an unprecedented reading experience for a memoir by a major public figure. He then claims that adding forces to tora bora risked an increase in casualties and more criticism from war critics. Unknown unknowns can wreak havoc on your business risk. That is to say, there are things that we now know we dont know.